1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming system capable of setting a print limitation for each user.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, image forming systems that can be shared with plural users have been widely used in office environments. Such mage forming systems include an image forming apparatus such as a printer, MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) having a printer unit and a scanner unit, or the like and information processing apparatus, such as client PCs connected to the image forming apparatus via a network. In such image forming systems, the image forming apparatus prints based on print data transmitted from the information processing apparatus.
It is known that there is an image forming system that has an accounting server connected to an image forming apparatus via a network and configured to calculate usage fees based on print histories and to charge the usage fees to the users (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-249625).
In such an image forming system, the image forming apparatus has stored permit information to permit or prohibit printing corresponding to each user identification information, which identifies each user, such as a password or a personal identification number. Upon executing printing, the information processing apparatus transmits to the image forming apparatus print data to which the user identification information is attached. When receiving the print data, the image forming apparatus obtains the user identification information attached to the print data and compares the user identification information with registered permit information corresponding thereto. When determining that the print data is transmitted from a registered user who is permitted to print, the image forming apparatus executes printing based on the received print data.
The image forming apparatus creates and stores print history information including the user identification information and the number of printed sheets. The server obtains the history information from the image forming apparatus and calculates the usage fees to charge respective users.
When the image forming apparatus determines that it is a prohibited user who is not permitted to print or an unregistered user whose user identification information is not registered, the image forming apparatus does not allow execution of printing based on the received print data and cancels the printing.